10 awesome escape rooms in popular vacation spots

Travelers are breaking out of vacation ruts with visits to escape rooms. The interactive group games that require solving puzzles to find their way out of a locked area are popping up in tourism destinations, including cruise ships.

“It’s a big thing for families and friends traveling together,” says Rich Bianco of TransWorld, which runs trade shows for the escape room industry. He and colleague Nicole Ginsburg share some favorite rooms for vacationers.

Escape rooms have found their way to sea, including the elaborate Puzzle Break: Escape the ...more

Escape rooms have found their way to sea, including the elaborate Puzzle Break: Escape the Observatorium, featured on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean International

The Escape Game, Nashville, Tennessee

A popular getaway for bachelor and bachelorette parties, Nashville is a natural for escape rooms, and you’ll find several in a 5-mile radius. Among the offerings, Ginsburg particularly likes this site’s Playground room, which is set in an elementary school classroom. “It’s an extremely fun, light and airy, bubbly-style game,” she says. nashvilleescapegame.com

Ripley’s Relic in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, New York

This Times Square site features a room designed by one of the masters of the genre, Ginsburg says. The 15-minute game, which includes a live guide, is the work of Skip Dylen, who has created escape experiences for haunted houses, theme parks and comic cons. “He does really innovative things,” she says. ripleysnewyork.com/ripleysrelic

The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia's venerated science museum, last year opened two escape rooms ...more

The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia's venerated science museum, last year opened two escape rooms featuring a deserted island and a space ship.

Steel Owl Productions

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia

A science museum is a natural fit for an escape room, Ginsburg says. “This generation needs to touch and feel. They need to be immersed in an experience.” The two games in the venerable museum feature a deserted island and a space ship and are built with high-tech touches. fi.edu/escaperooms

Breakout Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

Still wondering if an escape room is right for vacation? Former President Barack Obama and his family stopped by this room on Christmas Eve during their winter visit two years ago. The game is run by a Missouri company, and according to the Kansas City Star, the Obamas tried the Mission Manoa Room, which features secret agents and terrorists. Daughter Malia did much of the work, and the family made it out with just 12 seconds remaining. Not bad considering the room had just a 21 percent success rate. breakoutwaikiki.com

Five Wits at Patriots Place, Foxborough, Massachussets

This minichain, with other locations in New York and along the East Coast, has set a high bar for the industry, creating elaborate escape rooms that look like movie sets, with plenty of technological flash. “These guys are like Universal Studios; it’s serious entertainment,” Bianco says. “It’s way advanced, an immersive environment.” 5-wits.com

The Basement, Las Vegas

There’s no shortage of distractions in Sin City, but Ginsburg suggests leaving time for a stop at this room, which uses live actors to make the escape challenge all the more realistic. “It’s a perfect meld of game play,” she says. The Study room, set in the home of a cannibalistic serial killer, is her favorite. There's also a location in Los Angeles. escaperoomvegas.com

Puzzle Break: Escape the Observatorium, Independence of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas

Cruise ships are just the latest locations to embrace escape rooms. Royal Caribbean International offers escape experiences on many of its ships, but this glitzy offering, which requires players to work together to save the planet from an asteroid strike, is particularly noteworthy, Ginsburg says. “It’s a perfect arena for an escape room.” royalcaribbean.com

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Clue Carre, New Orleans

The Crescent City seems designed for escape rooms, Bianco says. It attracts lots of groups looking for entertainment, and the area has a long history of mystery and intrigue. “It’s a perfect location. Celebrities go to this one.” NBA star Stephen Curry is one of many who has visited with friends and posted about his experience on social media. The French Quarter House of Curiosities room comes highly recommended. cluecarre.com

Crossroads Escape Game, Anaheim, California

This game, located about 10 miles from Disneyland, offers its own share of thrills, Ginsburg says. She recommends The Fun House room, which has separate versions for adults and groups with children. “This is a must-play. It’s a different experience altogether.” crossroadsescapegames.com

Netherworld, Atlanta

While escape rooms games can last an hour or longer, this popular Atlanta haunted house has changed things up by offering an express escape experience that lasts just three minutes called “The Mangler’s Fear Machine.” It also has several traditional hour-long escape games. “Some are scary, some are not,” Bianco says. “They’re amazing at what they do.” escapethenetherworld.com